Don’t take hump over our bump
Jonny calls for calm as Dons bid to end seven-game run without a win
Jonny Hayes insists it’s too early to be sounding alarm bells despite Aberdeen’s winless run stretching to seven games.
The Dons wing-back believes today’s trip to St Mirren can trigger a reversal of fortune and is adamant their huge summer revamp is a factor in the poor run of form.
Manager Stephen Glass and his players were booed af ter last weekend’s home loss to St Johnstone.
But Hayes is convinced today’s lunchtime visit to Paisley can provide a pick-me-up as he claims only the best in the business are immune to being knocked off track.
He said: “Liverpool and Man City are teams that don’t have many bumps in the road but for teams to get to that stage it needs a process.
“We’ve had a high turnover of players and staff over the last four or five months. With a high turnover, it’s not going to click straight away.
“We’ve had a couple of bad results and need to improve but I’m confident that we have enough here to do that.
“There are always ups and downs in football. You need to overcome tough times and bounce back quickly.
“That’s when the experience in the
Gordon Parks
squad comes in. We have to help the younger lads who wouldn’t have faced difficult phases like this.”
The discontent within sections of the Aberdeen support hasn’t helped Glass in his bid to prove he’s the right man to bring success to Pittodrie after replacing Derek McInnes in April.
Hayes defended his gaffer and insists the critics are massaging the facts to strengthen their gripes.
He said: “The gaffer is fine and is staying positive. Every manager has to start somewhere and Glass has started off well here.
“He hit the ground running but it’s tough for a new manager and new staff with half a dozen new signings.
“We started wel l but came up against a good team in Europe.
“Then we’ve had a couple of bad results over the last four or five weeks but it happens all the time in football.
“It’s not to do with the manager or individuals. It’s more about the squad looking for form.
“And that’s where he’ll hope the experience of the squad comes in to play. We have plenty of it.
“He’ll want some players to put in better performances to get us out of this sticky phase. But I don’t think any of our supporters was expecting us to come in with a new squad and win 10 games on the bounce.
“We’ve always had good support in my time here. I don’t think that will change. A lot of fans are realistic and understand the club has gone through a change in the last six months.
“Yes, recent results have been disappointing but there is more than enough quality here to turn it around.”
The 34-year- old believes it will all start to click into place and pinpointed the influence of skipper Scott Brown as the man to galvanise a dressing room that isn’t short of belief.
Hayes said: “Scott is Scott,, he never changes.s. He is a leader andnd has convincedced people within the spacee of a feww weeks that he is the right per s on to come in as captain. For me, I haveave not come across a better leader, a better captain. Anyone who has played alongside him would say the same. “The manager will be looking to him as well because he is a senior figure, a leader in the dressing room and captain on match days.
“I am sure his experience will come in handy. I think every manager wants players like that.
“More than one if you can, but unfortunately there are not many players like Scott. Maybe one in every three or four teams if you are lucky. “He is great to have about the place as well.
“He has beenbe through it all, some highhi highs and some low lows . His experienceexperiencewwill be vital.
“It is still relarelatively early in the seasonseasonaand one game can make an impact on your outlookout because the confcon idence will flood backba again. “PeopPeople might look at the longer- term effect of that but we are focussingf on StMStMirren today.”
Glass Gla and Brown